


Unlikely brotherly bond

by serendipitous_rambles



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-30
Updated: 2017-11-30
Packaged: 2019-02-08 21:20:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12873261
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/serendipitous_rambles/pseuds/serendipitous_rambles
Summary: Steve picks Dustin up from the Snowball, wanting to know all about it.~~~Basically Steve being the best brother to Dustin. I just want this for both of them because they need a brother figure in their lives and they fit that for each other.





	Unlikely brotherly bond

**Author's Note:**

> I hardly ever write about Steve and I saw an interview where Joe said Steve would probably take Dustin out for ice cream after the Snowball and idk I just have a lot of feelings about their friendship

Steve pulled up in the school car park 10 minutes before the dance was due to end. His tapes were still playing and he lightly tapped the steering wheel along to _Tainted Love_.

He noticed the kids walking out of the dance, except for Will who Steve guessed was staying behind with Jonathan who was working the camera. Lucas and Max were walking so close their shoulders were lightly touching and they were exchanging little glances. Steve smiled, he knew what was going on there, could see it when they were in the junkyard. About time too in his opinion.

Mike followed behind them, his hand interlocked with that girl. What had he called her? Eleven? She looked different than the first time Steve had seen her, the punk look replaced with a pale blue dress and pink belt. He had no idea who she was but suddenly she was there and clutching on to Mike like he was the only thing keeping her stable. Steve saw the way Mike was reluctant to let her hand go when they walked up to Hopper. The way they looked at each other…Nancy never looked at him like that. He didn’t understand how they seemed to be so attached to each other, he’d never seen this girl before but to Steve, it looked like Mike had known her his whole life. Something must have happened in that weird year, those weird few days Steve vowed never to talk about again.

He guessed he could file last month as well under things he’d rather forget about.

Finally Dustin emerged with a huge grin on his face.

“Hey buddy,” Steve opened the door for him. Dustin’s cheeks were flushed and his hair had started to come out of its elaborate style. “Good time?”

Dustin grinned, showing off his teeth. “Yeah. The best.”

Steve smiled back, happy that Dustin had had a good time.

“Did you dance with any ladies?” He raised an eyebrow.

Dustin smirked. “Oh yeah.” He then realised that he couldn’t tell Steve it was Nancy. He knew how heartbroken he still was over their breakup and if he just told him now it would only crush him.

Steve ruffled his hair and Dustin patted his hand away. “Hey, watch the hair man.”

Steve laughed and began driving. He asked Dustin about Max and Lucas and then Mike and this strange girl. Dustin told him about how both couples had kissed but he didn’t really see it happening.

“Why was that?”

“Oh I was dancing with Nancy- I mean…” Shit. He’d tried to cover it but that plan didn’t last long.

Steve coughed awkwardly. “Nancy?”

Dustin sighed. “Yeah uh…she danced with me because… because no one else wanted to.” His grin had faded and his voice was more sullen.

Stvees grip on the wheel tightened. Why didn’t people want to dance with Dustin? Who were these girls, he’ll call their parents right now and-

“But Nancy took pity on me. I owe her that. Should’ve seen the look on Stacy’s face.”

Steve relaxed a little. Nancy. She really was special, and kind and why didn’t he fight harder for her. But he knew that she seemed happy with Jonathan, and that’s all he could really hope for. And that Stacy girl, well, she probably felt pretty jealous seeing Dustin dance with someone like Nancy.

“Do you wanna go for ice-cream?” Steve felt like Dustin wasn’t quite ready to go home just yet. He’d always wanted a little brother and somehow Dustin had filled that place for him. He just wanted to be there for him and hear his stories because that’s what a brother was supposed to do right? Not to mention the playful teasing.

They needed each other, both filling that gap they so needed in their lives. An unlikely brotherly bond had formed and Steve just wanted to see Dustin smile. It sounded like the dance had been… eventful and felt that while Dustin was smiling now, he had been hurting earlier and a part of him still needed cheering up.

Besides…it may be winter but who can say no to ice cream. Certainly not Dustin.


End file.
